"It's
encouraging for all the players down here to see that they're sticking
with all their talent and they're going to give them a shot to see what
they can do," Stanford told The Gazette. "Seeing Steve Adkins and Wade Taylor up there is encouraging for us down here."

For
Stanford, though, he'd never get his call. He saw AAA Columbus for the
first time that year. And he'd see it again the next two seasons. He'd never see the majors.

Stanford's
career began in 1987, signed by the Yankees as an undrafted free agent
out of his native Syracuse. Stanford previously was taken taken by the Blue Jays in the 10th round of the January 1985 draft, out of Onondaga Community College in Syracuse, but did not sign.

For 1988, Stanford played between three teams, single-A Prince William
and Fort Lauderdale and AA Albany. He spent much of the year, though,
at Fort Lauderdale, with 22 outings while posting a 2.06 ERA. Late that
June, Stanford pitched a four-inning relief outing to pick up a win.